CD271 (LNGFR) is a transmembrane protein that is a member of the Tumor Necrosis Factor receptor (TNFR) super family of transmembrane proteins. CD271 is widely expressed in developing neural tissue. In mature cells, expression is found in adult stem cells, endothelial cells, perivascular fibroblasts, dental pulp cells, prostate epithelial cells and immune B cells.
Importantly, although CD271 is abundantly expressed during development, it is down regulated in many cells of the adult organism. It has been found that CD271 is overexpressed in various types of cancer. For example, it has been found that CD271 is a useful marker in specific non-neural mesenchymal tumors such as dermatofibrosarcoma and rhadomyosarcoma, in skin cancers such as melanoma, and in breast cancer.